Afghan President Ghani says he left to prevent 'bloodshed'

DUBAI - Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani claimed on Wednesday night that he "was forced to leave Kabul and decided to leave my country in order to prevent bloodshed".

Ghani made the statement, addressing his compatriots in their native language Pashto, during a live Facebook broadcast from the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Ghani said, "If I had stayed, I would be witnessing bloodshed in Kabul."

He also issued a rebuttal against his critics who said he left Afghanistan hastily, saying that "those who think that I fled should not judge if they don't know all the details".

Ghani has been bitterly criticised by former ministers for leaving the country suddenly as Taliban forces entered Kabul.

Ghani left his country on Sunday night after the Taliban took control of the presidential palace in Afghan capital Kabul. He said he left Kabul on the advice of his security officials.

On Wednesday, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation confirmed that the country welcomed Ghani and his family "on humanitarian grounds".